During a recent meeting, town officials highlighted plans to commemorate the nation’s semiquincentennial throughout the summer, including during Rendezvous Days festivities

Cade Barker
The Reflector Newspaper

A patriotic road striping project in the town of Yacolt, intended to celebrate America’s upcoming 250th birthday, has now sparked controversy from one complaint.

During a May 11 meeting, town officials highlighted plans to commemorate the nation’s semiquincentennial throughout the summer, including during Rendezvous Days festivities. According to a council agenda item, the celebration was set to begin “with All Seal having painted our main road lines red, white and blue.”

The agenda item added that Mayor Ian Shealy would read a proclamation regarding “Yacolt’s role in America’s history and its 250th Birthday.”

Part of that proclamation stated, “… the citizens and community members of the Town of Yacolt, founded in 1908, have contributed proudly and significantly to the history of the United States of America and the State of Washington for nearly 118 years.”

In an interview with The Reflector, Shealy said, “A local Company, All Seal, did a community art project to try and celebrate America’s 250th at no cost to bring joy to the town.”

Following the project’s completion, the town received a series of messages from an anonymous individual questioning the roadway striping. The messages were obtained through public records with the town of Yacolt.

On Monday, May 11, at 3:37 p.m., the person asked, “Who approved this?”

One minute later, another message read, “I would also like to know who you contracted out to do the painting!”

Additional messages sent Wednesday, May 13, repeated the questions: “Who approved of the painting of the centerline in town? Who was the contractor who painted the center line in town?”

A town official responded by stating, “The Town is treating your inquiry as a Public Records Request.”

Shealy said the complaint could ultimately impact the project’s future.

“The town has received some pushback from one individual that may result into it having to be removed,” Shealy said.

In an interview with The Reflector, Patty Clark, owner of All Seal, an asphalt paving and striping contractor, said the idea originated years ago after seeing a similar display in Camas.

“I had seen it in Camas, and it was probably our 225th celebration,” Clark recalled.

Clark said she proposed the idea during a town meeting tied to preparations for the nation’s 250th birthday celebration.

“So, when I was sitting in the town meeting, and we were talking about how this is our 250th birthday, it’s a big deal, and I told them, I said I would paint (the centerlines) red, white and blue for them,” Clark said. “For the parade, to kick off summer celebrations, camaraderie, the whole nine yards.”

Clark said the striping was completed over two days along Amboy Road, Yacolt Road and Railroad Avenue within town limits.

Clark said the response from the community members exceeded her expectations.

“The response and the joy that I have heard about and seen is over the moon,” Clark said. “It’s what America is supposed to be.”

Clark also addressed the complaints that followed the project’s conclusion.

“Unfortunately, of late, we have one individual who’s threatening the (town) because we are not conforming with (the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices) coloring of the yellow and the white and looking to make it miserable,” Clark said. “And they don’t even live in Yacolt.”

Clark said the project has generated widespread support from residents and visitors to the small north Clark County community.

“It inspired a genuine sense of community and friendship,” Clark said. “It brought people together and encouraged conversations at a time when so much division and tension and fear surrounding us.”

Clark added, “It’s truly unfortunate that someone merely passing through our town has chosen to undermine that position and stir unnecessary drama.”

Shealy echoed the community response to the red, white and blue display on the town’s three main thoroughfares.

“A lot of people really enjoy it, a lot of people stop and take photos with their kids,” he said. “It boosted the small town spirit.”

Clark added that the paint was applied over the existing yellow lines, and once celebrations conclude, All Seal will repaint the lines yellow.

“We just went over the existing yellow line, and we’re putting it back at the end of the summer,” she said. “So, we saved the town from having to contract with the county to repaint it.”

As Memorial Day approaches, Clark said the possibility of removing the striping has been emotionally tolling, especially given the fact her father was a career Air Force man and her son served two decades in the Marine Corps, she added.

“Coming up on Memorial Day, it really broke my heart,” Clark said. “Like really? If you make me take this down, coming up on Memorial Day, all the people who gave their lives for us to have the freedoms we have. This isn’t what that’s about.”

As of press time, no further information or decisions on the road striping project were available.

This report was first published by The Reflector Newspaper.